Swenson Children Education Fund

Erik Swenson, age 47, passed away very unexpectedly on Monday morning (10/10/16). Late Wednesday afternoon on 10/05/16, his wife, Donna came home from work to find him happy, but slurring his words and a bit confused.  As soon as she recognized something was wrong, she rushed him to the hospital.  Initial scans showed nothing, but by the middle of the night, an MRI showed a clot deep in his brain and swelling had begun on the left and right side.  In the morning he was airlifted to UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, so that the best Neurologists, Neurosurgeons, and Stroke Specialists in the southwest region could treat him. His diagnosis was Venous Sinus Thrombosis of the Thalamus, an extremely rare condition that normally develops only in pregnant women. The team treating Erik had never seen this condition in such a young, strong, healthy man. Erik was aware of everyone around him, able to answer some questions, read, and move all of his body parts until early afternoon on Thursday.  The doctors thought his body would respond well to the blood thinners to break up the clot, and the plan was to monitor the swelling on his brain.  They took him away for an MRV at noon on Thursday and his family was very hopeful.  When he returned 2 1/2 hours later, something was very wrong, and his condition was rapidly deteriorating.  He was rushed to an emergency CAT scan, where they found his brain was hemorrhaging and even more swollen, and he had suffered extensive, irreversible brain damage.  The location of the clot was so deep inside of his brain and in a vein, not an artery, that surgery was not a viable option.  His wife knew that he would not want to spend the rest of his life unresponsive and severely disabled, so the painful decision to stop treatment and provide comfort care was made.

Because his body was so strong and healthy and he wasn't ready to leave his precious family, he continued to fight a lost battle.  Doctors said he might live a few hours, but he continued to breath on his own for 2 1/2 days, which was heart wrenching to watch.  With each breath we had a false hope that the man we loved would return to us.  He took his final breath held by his wife, children, and parents and they felt his beautiful soul ascend to heaven.

Erik was an amazing father, friend and colleague, and touched so many lives. He was a great lover of music, frequenting concerts with his wife and friends throughout his life. He was a dedicated, loyal employee, and would have celebrated 25 years at his company this winter. He loved the Chicago Cubs, Bulls, and Blackhawks, and enjoyed watching those games with his son Ryan. He was an animal lover who had 2 dogs and 3 cats.  He loved spending time with his family and was extremely active. He and his wife lived a very healthy lifestyle and he was a lifelong athlete. He placed 4th in state for wrestling his senior in high school.  He ran and lifted weights several times a week, and was always sharing health tips with family and friends to help them improve the quality of their lives.  Even on the Wednesday he first showed symptoms, he ran for an hour at lunch.  He adored his 2 children and was very involved in their lives. He spent much of his time at soccer, basketball and volleyball games, always supporting his children in everything they chose to do. He was a Boy Scout leader for his son's troop for several years, and also helped to coach his daughter's soccer team.  He just adored them and was so very proud of absolutely everything they did.  

Erik leaves behind the love of his life & best friend, Donna (married 23 1/2 years), and their 2 amazing children, Ryan and Emily. Ryan is a senior and Emily is a sophomore at Allen High School. His wife Donna is an elementary school teacher in Allen, Texas.

Those of us who love Erik want to help his family. With the loss of his income, their future is very scary. They will face many difficult choices in the upcoming months and will not have his love and support to guide them. I would love to help alleviate some of the burden, especially the cost of college tuition.

In lieu of flowers for his memorial, please help us raise money towards their medical expenses and towards Ryan and Emily's college tuition. This will help support this grieving family in this very difficult time. Every dollar will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your love and support.

A Memorial service for Erik will be held Saturday, October 15th at 11:00am at Chase Oaks Church Youth Building, 201 Legacy Drive, Plano, TX  75023.

If you would like to contribute directly to Erik's family, please send mail to:
Donna Swenson
1414 Placer Drive
Allen, TX 75013